NHTSA Investigation RQ25003

Post Recall Remedy Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) Failure

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 14 Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports and 6 EWR Death & Injury (D&I) reports describing post recall remedy failures of the brake transmission shift interlock (BTSI) system in certain Model Year (MY) 2013-2018 RAM pickup trucks.The subject vehicle models include 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks equipped with a column mounted shift lever.The failures of the BTSI described in the VOQs occurred on vehicles that had all previously been repaired under recall 17V-821 or 18V-100.Both recalls address a potential condition which can cause the BTSI locking pin to become stuck allowing the transmission to be shifted out of Park without depressing the brake pedal and/or without having a key in the ignition.Shifting the transmission out of Park when not having the brake pedal depressed can result in a vehicle rollaway. ODI is opening this Recall Query (RQ) to review the effectiveness of the 17V-821 and 18V-100 recall remedies, understand the root cause of additional vehicle rollaway incidents, and identify any other possible root cause that may affect the performance of the BTSI system. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.